Eros: Son of Aphrodite
by SoftPurple Sherlockian
Summary: For thousands of years the Cupids held in their power the ability to grant love. They'd seen it all, but they would soon risk everything the day Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meet.
1. Half So Happy In Heaven

For centuries, the Cupids had been responsible for all of the great love stories throughout history, from Paris and Helen to Cleopatra and Marc Antony to even that of Bonnie and Clyde.

Of course, it wasn't just their job to ensure the kind of love that people would document and recite years after the fact. The married couple who were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary, the single mother who blushed when she caught the eye of the airline pilot, the pre-pubescent teen that looks away when the pretty blonde stares his way, all the handiwork of thousands upon thousands of Cupids doing their job so that humans could experience one of the most profound and complex emotions known to both man and the Gods alike.

There were legends of the Cupids and their work in the Heavens and on Earth, depictions of winged infants blindly shooting arrows at people who would then instantly fall deeply in love. The notion was laughable. In actuality, Cupids very much resembled that of mere mortals, a necessity that allows them to walk among people whilst going undetected, hiding in plain sight.

The arrows however were somewhat accurate, but it was a tricky thing, love, a delicate, multi-step process that didn't happen overnight. It required the use of three different levels of arrows, and therefore, the teamwork of multiple Cupids. For you see, each Cupid was only permitted one type of arrow.

The first arrow that falling in love required was the Eros arrow, so named for the son of Aphrodite, it had a sharp silver point at the tip. Eros was the beginning stage of "erotic love", a physical attraction that would catch the eye of the receiver. To underplay the significance of this first level is a grave mistake, because while it can fizzle out into nothingness, it is also the foundation that each subsequent arrow will build on.

If a Cupid believes the foundation can withstand that of arrow number two, they will call upon the assistance of a colleague in possession of the Philos arrow. The higher level Cupid will evaluate the pair and the decision to use the golden Philos will be determined by them. Philos love is based on friendship and a "give and take" relationship. Unlike Eros, which is more of a "take" arrangement, in Philos one partner is still concerned with what they can take, but at the same time is also concerned with their partner's benefit and therefore gives back in return. Like Eros love, Philos love must develop into a higher form of love, the highest love of all - agape or unconditional love.

Agape love is above Philos love and Eros love. It is a love that is totally selfless, where a person gives out love to another person even if this act does not benefit them in any way. Whether the love given is returned or not, the person continues to love, even without any self-benefit. It is a day of much excitement and rejoicing when one of the highest level Cupids decides that the third Agape arrow is to be used. Cupids who are not otherwise engaged all gather to watch the diamond arrow sore through the air at their intended target. The Heavens applaud with happiness and the three levels of Cupids who arranged the match congratulate themselves.

Of course, there can be no happiness without its counterpart, no sunshine without rain.

There is a fourth arrow, a black arrow with a blunt steel point that the Cupids do not like to speak of. A person struck with this arrow feels only the desire to flee, to push love away and reject it, no Cupid ever wants to use this arrow. However, humans are finicky creatures and free will cannot be overlooked. If a mortal hardens their heart, makes the conscience decision to refuse love, to not seek it out or accept it when it's presented, then a Cupid can do nothing but close their eyes and shoot. Cupids do not have it in their power to reverse the effects of this arrow, and it's a sad day in the Heavens when it flies through the air. Once someone makes that choice, it can only be undone by the son of Aphrodite himself. To say it was impossible to get Eros to reverse the effects of a black arrow was impossible would be to tell a lie, but it was difficult.

Millennia came and went and the Cupids never once questioned Eros's decisions. To question Eros was to be dismissed of your position and to be cast down to Earth where you would never again experience love. It wasn't a risk any Cupid was willing to take in the thousands of years they had been doing their job, of course, up until then, none of them had witnessed the meeting of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.

They were about to be reminded that while their job was to encourage love and move things along, they weren't always needed.


	2. Eros Love

The Cupid who had been in charge of shooting the black arrow at Sherlock let a single tear fall down his cheek as the steel tipped point flew through the air and pierced the youngest Holmes's heart. At age twenty two, the mortal decided that "love" was not for him. He viewed it as a tiresome, pointless emotion that only left you vulnerable and needy; it was something he couldn't be bothered with.

Eleven years passed as quickly as the blink of an eye. For the Cupid who had shot the steel arrow, what was a decade when he'd watched centuries blur together before his eyes? Occasionally he would look in on the younger Holmes brother, after all, both he and his brother were still the Cupid's charges and it was his duty to look down and evaluate the boy's emotions, as well as consider everyone Sherlock met as a possible mate.

Knowing that the detective had closed his heart, the Silver Cupid did everything in his power to make sure nobody fell in love with the detective. It sounded harsh, but in reality he was doing them a kindness. Sherlock could not love, why would he subject some unsuspecting soul to that kind of rejection?

The Cupid had watched for years as people entered the youngest Holmes's life, never sticking around long due to the detective's biting words and harsh attitude. It was sad, to witness this over and over and to be unable to do anything about it. There were men that the Silver Cupid could easily see the detective with, and each time they walked out of Sherlock's life, it physically pained him.

The day John Watson walked into the lab at St. Bart's, the Cupid noted the sidelong look the detective gave the man and was intrigued. Other humans rarely held the detective's attention and the Cupid sat back and watched, fully prepared for the ex-army doctor to walk out as soon as Sherlock started talking. He closed his eyes, waiting for the feeling of rejection that never came. Upon gazing back down, John was still there, a look of bewilderment on his face.

The Silver Cupid was about to do something he never thought himself capable of doing. He pulled his bow back and sent a silver Eros arrow straight at John Watson. _Even if it's not permanent,_ the Cupid thought to himself, _maybe this will ensure he hangs around long enough for the ice around Sherlock's heart to thaw just a bit. _

He didn't like the idea of causing John to fall in love with someone who could never love him in return, but attempted to rationalise it. John needed a friend as well, what harm would it do? Eros arrows were easy enough to get over, an infatuation that wouldn't break the human's spirit if nothing ever became of it.

If the Cupid had been expecting John to leave after a few months, he was mistaken. The doctor remained, still just as enamoured with the detective as the day he met him. He lavished compliments onto Sherlock, stroking the younger man's ego. He cleaned up and looked after the flat, made sure Sherlock took care of himself, even raced around London chasing after the detective.

The Silver Cupid should have been content with the progress that had been made, should have left their relationship at that, instead, he found himself calling for a second level, Golden Cupid.


	3. Philos Love

The two watched the pair closely, the Eros Cupid trying to get the Philos to see things his way. He was failing miserably.

"Holmes has been hit with a black arrow, and still you want me to shoot this John man?"

The Eros Cupid nodded, realising how cruel it sounded. "John needs him," he tried to explain, "at this point he's aware of Sherlock's inability to process emotions, but I still feel like it's something that will do him good. Even though it can never be reciprocated."

The Philos Cupid brought her hand up and rested it on the head of the other, trying to understand why it was so important that she hit John Watson with an arrow.

"You care about this Sherlock Holmes." It wasn't a question and the Eros Cupid shook his head.

"I hate the day I had to hit him with that arrow. He was so young, and I don't feel like he fully understood what he was doing. To make such a life changing decision at that age…" he trailed off.

"It's unfair," she finished for him.

Without another word, she raised her bow and aimed it at the heart of John Watson. "Be it on your head," she finally said as the golden arrow whistled through the clouds.

The two Cupids stood there staring at each other for a long time, neither willing to voice what they had just done. An Agape Cupid would soon be staring down at the world's only consulting detective and his flatmate, and both the Eros and Philo Cupid knew they would have some explaining to do for their actions. It was understood that a relationship didn't progress when one half of the pair was unwilling to love.

Months passed and it seemed as if the Holmes/Watson relationship would be allowed to manifest without incident.

The Cupids watched as John had a bomb strapped to his chest by another black arrow recipient, feeling a flicker of hope at the look of sheer horror that crossed Sherlock's face. They argued with another Silver Cupid when Irene Adler fixated on Sherlock, something that was easily remedied by explaining to the Eros Cupid that the detective had been hit with a black arrow and was unable to return Miss Adler's affections. They watched as Sherlock chased after John, shouting apologies in Baskerville, pleased that the detective cared enough about the younger man to go after him.

It appeared as if the unconventional one sided arrangement would continue, a happiness that was short lived when they heard the shouting of an Agape Cupid in their direction.

"What were you thinking?!" Came the shrill cry of an angry Diamond Cupid who was quickly approaching them. "A black arrow!" She shouted even louder. "A BLACK ARROW! How am I supposed to work with this?"

The Golden Cupid approached her with caution, "have you been watching?" she asked.

The Agape Cupid, still furious nodded her head, "of course I have," she spat out.

John Watson clearly loved Sherlock and that love would bloom with the push of the Agape arrow, it was obvious to all three Cupids as they stood and looked down at the pair who were in the middle of a court case.

Taking a calming breath, the Diamond Cupid started speaking again in a softer tone, "I can't do it. I can't expect this man to love someone who can never love him in return. How could I?" The tears could be heard in her voice and she freely let them fall. It was a cruel twist of fate, for these two to have met, and yet… there was something so incredibly right about it.

It was the Golden Cupid's turn to speak, and she thought very carefully about the words she was choosing. "There is a way," she started and the other two Cupids quickly looked at her, understanding instantly what she was saying.

They could approach the son of Aphrodite, Eros. A plea to him required all three Cupids and was a dangerous thing to do; you only came to Eros in extreme cases. The God himself designed the union of Orpheus and Eurydice, Tristan and Iseult, Lancelot and Guinevere and dozens more throughout history. He only intervened in cases of love that people would write stories of, love that inspired poetry and moved people to tears, it was unlikely that he would reverse the effects of the steel arrow that had struck Sherlock so many years ago.

"It's unlikely that he will do anything," the Diamond Cupid said and the heads of the other two lowered in defeat, knowing that a motion couldn't even be made without all of their vote of confidence. "But," she went on, holding herself up high, "I am willing to try."

So it was that as Sherlock stood on top of the roof of the very building he and John met, the three levels of Cupids sought out a meeting with Eros, son of Aphrodite in a desperate attempt to bring the two men together.


	4. Agape Love

To be in Eros presence was a wonderful thing to behold. True, he was intimidating, but he was the God of love after all, surely there had to be some compassion in him somewhere.

"No."

The answer was out of his mouth before the three Cupids had even voiced their request.

"My Lord," the Silver Cupid spoke, "you don't understand." He was silenced by the glare that Eros was now giving him.

"Do you think there isn't anything I don't know about, any union that I am unaware of?"

The Cupids meekly shook their heads.

"I cannot do as you ask," Eros went on. "Sherlock is arrogant, cocky, he constantly takes advantage of John, he belittles him, and at times he's simply cruel."

With her head still lowered, the Diamond Cupid softly spoke, "but John loves him anyway."

"Ah," Eros laughed, "but does Sherlock love him?"

"My lord, you know that's why we're here! Sherlock CAN'T love John in return, you know that."

Eros gave the three of them a pointed stare, "can't he?"

The three Cupids stood alongside Eros and all four of them peered down to Earth.

It was painful to watch, more so for the Silver Cupid who'd been watching Sherlock from the start. The detective jumped off the roof of the building to save John.

In the end it wasn't an arrow, it wasn't divine intervention or the plotting of creatures on high, it was simply two men who had somehow fought the odds and found love by themselves.

The three years that followed were difficult for all of them. They watched as John mourned the "death" of the man he loved and they watched as Sherlock endured torture beyond comprehension in his efforts to keep the man he loved safe.

Of course, time went on and they had other charges to attend to, other love stories to write. Sherlock and John had found an unconditional love for one another without any Agape arrows, and technically the Cupids had no business looking in on them anymore. However, on the day Sherlock walked back into John's life, the Heavens above were abuzz with the excitement and all of the Cupids seemed to have momentarily stopped what they were doing to peer down at the pair.

When John's fist met Sherlock's jaw, the Cupids all glanced at each other, unsure of how to react. They'd been waiting three years for this reunion and honestly, this isn't what they were expecting. Slowly, they all went back to looking after their charges when a sound of trumpets filled the air.

There, in the small flat in the middle of London the two men were locked in a passionate kiss.


End file.
